Moonlight Encounters
by WitchhPrincess
Summary: Muffy finally finds someone who Jill could actually like, only for the Phantom Thief to come and mess up her feelings and probably steal her heart.
1. The Mansion

Waking up at 6 am seemed like second nature to me by now. When I first moved to forget-me-not-valley almost two years ago, it was hell. Struggling out of my warm covers to the bleakness of my barely off the ground farm was the worst feeling ever, and the early starts alone nearly made me pack it all in. It was only when the whole valley complimented me on my crops last harvest festival I finally felt like I'd made it as a farmer.

It was mid winter, and with all the free time from not growing crops, I was sitting in the blue bar enjoying a drink with my best friend Muffy. Newly engaged, freshly celebrating, Muffy.  
"We've got to find you someone, Jill." Muffy sighed, rubbing my arm with her free hand, sparkling and shiny engagement ring twinkling in the barlight.  
"A man isn't everything." I shrugged, sipping the wine. "I mean, I have a successful farm, a great house, amazing friends, what more could I need?"  
"Don't you want children? Don't you want someone to share your life with?" the blonde asked, bright blue eyes full of concern.  
"I get you're concerned Muffs, but I'm fine, honestly." I brushed my dark hair to the side. "Besides, with all the weddings soon I don't think the village can keep up." I chuckled, before taking another sip, feeling uncomfortable now. "Besides, nobody's free, and nobody would be interested in me." I lowered my breath.  
"Hmmmm..." Muffy sat thinking long and hard. "Carter's married to Flora..."  
"Not my type anyway."  
"I've got Griffy"  
"He's all yours, dont worry about that." I told her, and she blushed, playing with the ring, before casting her mind again.  
"Theres Marlin?"  
"Pretty sure Celia's crazy for him and vise versa."  
"Rock and Lumina are getting married next year."  
"Again, not my type. He's lovely but a bit too...I don't know...can surfer guy be a turn off?"  
"It can if you want it to be." Muffy chuckled.  
"Well, it is."  
"Gustafa?"  
"Him and Nami are a thing, last time I checked." I sighed. "See, everyone's got someone!"  
"Maybe look further afield?" Muffy shrugged, before pointing at a guy sitting at the bar. "That guys from Mineral Town, try talking to him?" I shook my head. "Come on, at least try." Muffy protested, dragging me from our booth to the bar as she hopped back behind it to actually work.

I looked the guy up and down. He had a brown, hobo-chic look going on with a messy, caramel brown ponytail pulling his hair back, defining his sharpened features.  
"Hey," I nodded to him smiling. _If it'll make Muffy happy and get her to shut the heck up._ I thought, before continuing on. "You're not from around here are you?" I asked. He shook his head.  
"Nope, I work at a vineyard in Mineral Town and I came to compare the stuff you get from down here, just to find out this bar imports from us." He chuckled. "I'm guessing by your deduction, you're from around here?"  
"Yeah, I own the local ranch." I grinned. "It's winter so I've got a bit too much free time."  
"Same here." The man smiled back. "Care to join me for another?" he asked when I finished my glass.  
"I'd love to." I smiled. "I'm Jill by the way."  
"Cliff." He replied, ordering the drinks. Muffy winked at me as she poured out the wine, before wriggling away back to Griffin.  
"It's great wine." I complimented. Cliff grinned.  
"Thanks,Claire got me the job, I'm pretty thankful to her." He laughed. I burnt up. _He has a girl back home._ I thought. Feeling embarrassed, I began to make an excuse as to why I had to leave, when Cliff held out his hand. "No, no, no, you've got the wrong end of the stick." he sighed. "She chose the Doctor over me a few years back. I'm as single as the day I entered this world." he laughed breathily.  
"Same, to be honest." I smirked, sitting back down.  
"Well, I think I'd like to meet you again sometime." Cliff flirtingly tilted his glass towards me as he smiled.  
"I think I'd like that." I replied, as he ordered another round of drinks and Muffy winked at me from across the bar.

* * *

This was the night I discovered exactly _why_ the man offers to walk you home. However, as Cliff was only visiting and had no idea _where_ I lived, we stumbled drunkenly to the Inn where I dumped him off.  
"Meet me again before I leave tomorrow afternoon?" He slurred and I nodded before kissing him. Ruby watched bemusedly from the desk as Cliff clambered up the stairs and I made my way out.

I must've made a wrong turn, because next thing I knew, I was outside Romana's mansion. I was splashing my face in the fountain to clear my head so I could get home when I heard the door slam.  
"Ngh...I'll be gone in a second..." I slurred to the footsteps approaching me.  
"Hehe, Hello Beautiful." a husky voice called, and I looked up, feeling the fuzziness of the alcohol draining from my system at the unknown man waltzing towards me from the mansion with a sack over his shoulder. "Walking alone at night?"  
"I...I was just heading home." I pulled my body in defensively as he stepped forwards, cupping my chin with his hands.  
"Hehe..." he laughed, a slightly annoying, childish laugh. I could smell the mint on his breath as he looked down on my face. "I'm quite the ladies man, and the prince of the stars."

I was a second from slapping him when I heard the door slam again.

"Stop! THIEF!" Lumina suddenly screeched from the porch and darted over. "Hey! Arent you that famouse thief who warns people in advance?!" She cried as the approached.  
"Hehe..." he laughed again. "Sorry, but I'm getting a bit pressed for time, I'm about to jet out." He ran his hands through his silvery hair, before darting out the gate and turning back. "Call me Phantom Skye." he told me, smiling. "I have a feeling we'll meet again soon, beautiful. It's in the stars." Lumina finally made her way across the vast garden and grabbed his arm, glaring at him.  
"Wait right there!" she hissed, I'd never seen this hard, steel like side of her.  
"Hehe..." Skye chuckled again. "Hold up, beautiful. Dont let such harsh, raw anger ruin your natural beauty." He kissed her hand and disspeared into the night.  
"What a smooth talker..." Lumina melted. "Phantom Skye..."  
"Aren't you engaged?" I muttered, but she didn't hear me as she wandered off following him, like a duckling to its mother. I stood in disbelief for a moment, before she padded back.  
"He got away from me!" she blushed, as I shook my head.  
"Lets get you inside." I sighed, dragging the girl back to the mansion with haste.

* * *

A/N: I dont own anything! Cliff is originally from MFoMT btw :)


	2. The Bar

It was a few weeks later, and as Cliff had returned to Mineral Town, I had been devoid of male attention since. Not that there even was anyone to get attention from in this town.  
Whilst before I had hardly cared, something had been funny in my brain sine the night I saw Phantom Skye – I wasn't in love with him, no way. I just realized I wanted companionship.  
After a disastrous attempt to contact Cliff, I decided to leave it and just focus on my farm.

It was a rainy spring, and after checking over my farm and making sure my animals were fed, I headed out to the village to help Muffy with her wedding planning.  
The Blue Bar was empty, what with it being a Monday, so normally Muffy and I would take over the whole bar; magazines, cake samples, or pictures of dresses sprawling across the surface of the Village's only nightlife.  
"Muffy!" I called as I entered. "I'm early because I didn't have to water everything, theres so much rain!" I laughed, then stopped short when I saw the couple standing by the bar, reading a letter and frowning. They turned to face me.  
"Oh, hi, Jill. No, you came at a good time, don't worry." She laughed, but I could see it being forced.  
"Okay what's wrong?" I frowned, walking up the bar.  
"We've just received notice from Phantom Skye." Muffy sighed, handing over the letter.

 _I'm going to bless you bar with my presence at midnight for a drink. ~Phantom Skye_

"He certainly loves himself." Griffin grumbled.  
"And him sending a notice of his arrival makes me think he's quite confident." Muffy smirked. "I kind of like that." Griffin looked at his wife to be with an odd expression, before turning back to me.  
"Anyway, he's a thief, so we gotta corner him."  
"That's right!" Muffy suddenly glowed with determination. "He'll pay for that drink in gold!"  
"…That's not what I meant."  
"I'm kidding!" Muffy laughed.  
"Anyway…" Griffin moved his attention back to me. "Any chance you can help us out tonight? You saw him when he robbed Romana, right?"  
"Yeah." I nodded. "Of course I'll help."  
"Great, come back at 11:30 if that's okay." Griffin nodded.  
"That's fine." I smiled.  
"We'll plan another day." Muffy sighed. "We're gonna spend the day moving stock so that it's well hidden."  
I nodded, and after confirming what time I had to be back, went to wander around in the rain for a bit.

I felt…weird. I felt excited that I was going to see Skye again – even though he was going to rob my best friend! At first I decided to go foraging, but then decided against it. Wandering around town without an umbrella seemed like a dumb way to spend the day, so instead I lazed about at home. After checking my animals one last time for the night, patching a leak that had sprung up in the barn and giving them all fresh bedding, I wandered across to the Blue Bar for 11:30, just as I had been instructed..

"Oh, Jill!" Muffy looked calm and happy for someone who was about to get robbed. "So good of you to come!"  
"Well, I said I would so here I am!" I laughed.  
"We're going to wait in the back, but spring out when he arrives. We need you to wait here…" Muffy pointed out the booth where I'd been making out with Cliff a few weeks earlier "and jump out and shut the door behind him!"

"I can do that." I agreed, still weirdly excited at the thought of seeing the gorgeous thief again.  
Midnight came and went, and we were still sitting in our hiding spots in the dark.  
"The Phantom's not here yet." Griffin grumbled.  
"H-hey, do you guys smell curry?" I called. The aromatic smell of spices wafted through the walls, permeating the whole room.  
"Mmmmm, yeah I smell it!" Muffy confirmed.  
"Yes, it smells so good!" Griffin added. The two suddenly appeared in the room, made a beeline for the door, and left.  
"So curry smells better than safety in numbers, great." I hissed as the door slammed shut. I got up to follow (and yell at) them, but as soon as I was in front of the door, it swung open.  
Flicking on the lights, Skye was illuminated in his crime. Silvery hair refected the halogen bulbs, and he smiled at me.  
"So, we meet again my darling Jill." He chuckled. He stepped towards me slowly. "Do you…believe fate has brought us together?"  
"Fate?" I questioned, tilting my head.  
"It makes me happen to hear that from a beautiful maiden." Skye confessed, tilting my head upwards to face his with his gloved hand, fingers propped beneath my chin, raising my eyes to meet his.  
"N-no." I growled. "I'm here to catch you!"  
Skye just chuckled again, as he laughed his long hair trembled along his hair line.  
"Anyway, I was wondering if you could just stay still for a second…" he smiled, and as he stepped away I found myself unable to move.  
"What have you done!" I cried, and he smiled.  
"Just relax, you'll be able to move again in a bit."  
He wandered off to behind the bar. _Muffy, Griffin, where are you!_ I thought angrily. Remind me to not let them have curry at their wedding!  
"Why are you a thief?" I asked Skye, trying to buy some more time as the man began to rustle around behind the bar.  
"I don't know why." He laughed happily, which struck me as odd.  
"It's just for fun?" I snapped, unbelieving the man infront of me. Whilst yes – he was gorgeous – who steals for the hell of it?  
"That might be it." Skye nodded. "Or it might not be it. You want to know more about me, don't you Jill?" I met his eyes defiantly. "But if I simply tell you, it'll take all the mystique out of our relationship." He leaned across the bar, inches from my face. "Y'know what, if you can catch me, I'll tell you anything you want." He moved closer, and I thought for a moment he was about to kiss me, until-

"That's odd." Muffy's voice rung from outside. "I could've sworn that great smell was coming from out here."  
"Yeah, lets go back to the shop." Griffin replied.

Skye suddenly looked panicked, and for good reason too.  
"Sorry, but I'm a bit pressed for time." He smiled, almost sadly. "Gotta jet! See you around, Jill."  
And with that, he opened the side window and jumped out, the moment Muffy and Griffin walked back through the front door.

* * *

A/N: And here's chapter 2, months later! 

Reviews!:  
Huxplosion: I think I added more description. Key word: think. Please let me know if it needs any more!  
GeorgiaScarlett: Your writing is great, you dont need to take any notes!

I dont own HarvestMoon, if that wasnt obvious haha


	3. The Beach

Muffy was still trying to set me up, months after the last encounter with Skye. It was almost like she pitied me; every single man in the bar would be sent my way by her, every single time I sent them away again. It wasn't that they were unattractive, or bad people…. It was because there was something missing.  
The champagne haired beauty sighed on my bed as she flicked through the latest edition of _Bridal Weekly_.  
"This won't do!" she suddenly squawked, eyes creasing into scribbles as she plunged her face into my baby pink duvet.  
"I thought you already found a dress?" I murmured, looking over her shoulder at the ivory clad models on the page.  
"I'm thinking about what I'm going to do with _youuu_ " she grumbled, eyes meeting mine. "You need a man, I feel so bad about you being on this huge farm alone."  
"Muff, I'm fine." I laughed.  
"No, no, you're not." She insisted, sitting up and staring at me. "If you were why do you come to the bar every weekend?"  
"Maybe because I want to be social? And see you?"  
"Oh…" she frowned, cute face looking dejectedly at the bed. "Should I stop sending anyone who says they're single your way, then?"  
"That would be good." I replied, my eyes smiling as I suggested we try and make some cake samples.

* * *

One messy kitchen and clean up later, Muffy headed back home as I headed to the mine. It was late spring, and as I made my way up the dirt track, I was surprised to see Flora and Carter standing outside their tent, pouring over a letter.  
"Hey, what's up?" I frowned as I got near them. "Is it okay for me to go into the mine?"  
"Oh, Jill, you came at good time." Carter noted, turning to me.  
"A note came from Phantom Skye." Flora sighed, flaxen hair drooping slightly.  
"At Midnight, I'll be helping myself to the valuables in your tent. Phantom Skye." Carter read aloud. I frowned, grabbing the note from them.  
" This looks like the real deal…." I frowned. "Want me to come and help catch him?" I frowned, and they both smiled.  
"Thank you, thank you so much!" Flora smiled. Carter laughed heartily.  
"Glad to hear it!" he exclaimed, as if I'd agreed to join them both for a drink. "We'll wait in the tent for you."  
I nodded, and the two both scurried off to the dig, leaving me stood in front of their tent.  
"Why do you keep trying to hurt people I care about?" I whispered.

* * *

Around midnight, I was trudging back up the same dirt track. Pushing back the flaps of the khaki tent, Carter and Flora jumped, before seeing it was me.  
"Thanks for coming." Carter smiled. "The thief isn't here yet, so we'll wait a bit longer." The two of them sat back on their respective beds, and I perched next to Flora. The pair of them stared at the floor, and I sat there relishing in the uncomfortable silence.

After a while, the dark-haired archaeologist looked at his watch and frowned. Flora followed suite, and thought aloud:  
"Phantom Skye still hasn't shown up..." She looked at me. "Maybe he forgot about the note he sent?"

Carter suddenly leapt to his feet.  
"That dirty thief!" he shouted. "He's probably stealing from the dig site this very moment!" Flora's eyes widened, and she jumped up. "Let's go, Flora! Jill, stay here just in case." He ordered, and the pair of them charged out.  
 _They'd make a good couple…_ I thought, smiling.

They'd hardly left the tent when Skye walked in. He didn't even look surprised to see me.  
"I had a feeling we'd meet tonight." He smiled, avoiding any formalities. I frowned, and moved back a bit away from him, climbing off the bed and against the wall. He smiled softly. "Don't be afraid, I won't use my magic here."  
"How can I be sure?"  
"I sent a note but I won't be stealing anything tonight." He carried on, ignoring my question entirely. He stepped closer. "I came to see you, Jill. And I was hoping that you'd spend some time with me." He added, holding out his hand carefully, like I was a wild animal about to take flight.

But he was the snow leopard, ready to give chase.

"I'd love to." I replied, before I knew what I was saying.  
"Thank you!" he laughed bashfully. "Let's go somewhere else, those other two could be back any minute."

Once we stepped outside, I knew why they called him a phantom. He seemed to blend miraculously into the night air, a silver spirit amongst us mortals. I could hardly see him, and I was walking alongside him.

We went to the beach. It was simple, and I'd been here countless times before, but I felt like the only girl in the world.  
"What's your life goal?" Skye asked, amongst a myriad of other things, as we stood in the ocean; socks and shoes haphazardly placed on the rocks near the shore.  
"I'm not sure." I admitted. "I never really thought of it, maybe make sure my farm is successful? What about you? Steal from royalty?" I joked  
"No actually. I pride myself on making curry." He replied as he shifted through the sand ahead of me. "I work hard and hard at it every day, I gather many different ingredients, and taste many different curries."  
"Sounds tasty." I chuckled.  
"It is." He smiled. "But I just can't get the taste I'm looking for."

At this, he stared out across the ocean. I was worried he'd vanished for a moment, as his ghostlike figure melded with the ocean at our toes.  
"I've got the right flavour, but its missing something."  
"Any ideas?" I asked, and he shook his head, moonlit locks dancing.  
"I was hoping I could ask you."  
"Maybe it's something cheesy, like cooking with love." I chuckled. Skye stared at me.  
"Love, huh?" He smiled, moving closer "I think you may be right… I've been so focussed on flavour that I never thought about love…"  
"Skye…what are yo-" I mumbled, as his face inched closer and closer to mine…..

Suddenly, he pulled away. Like the waves returning to the ocean moments after kissing the sand hello.  
"I hope you'll try my curry, next time I make some."  
"Skye?" I frowned, as he began to make his way up the beach.  
"Thanks for spending time with me tonight." He sounded almost automatic. Like a robot was controlling him. "I would like to walk you back, but I nice girl like you shouldn't be caught with a thief."

I didn't know what came over me, but I ran after him. Cold sand kicked into the air as my feet slapped into it, colliding with every step I took.

"Skye, wait!" I called. This was unfair – he was about to kiss me, and now he's running away!

Suddenly, it dawned on me. _He was about to kiss me._

"Good luck with your farm, Jill." He smiled, but I noticed for the first time that his smile didn't reach his eyes.

And he left me there, alone on the cold beach, and I realised then that I was in love with the Phantom Thief.


End file.
